A Local Family’s Tragedy A Grim Reminder To Stay Hands-Free

October 28th will be a grim 4 year anniversary for the Tikalsky family in New Prague. That's the date 4 years ago that a distracted driver hit and killed Joe Tikalsky Jr., as he crossed the street to retrieve a paper like he always did. Tikalsky's sad story is front and center this week as the Minnesota Department of Public Safety is once again reminding Minnesota drivers of the new hands-free law, and to not drive distracted.

The Minnesota Department of Public Safety tweeted out the video this morning with the message: "Joe Tikalsky was getting his mail one day when a distracted driver hit him so hard his reading glasses flew from his face. Now his wife must live her final years alone. Is that text, that call, that social media post really worth it? http://HandsFreeMN.org #HandsFreeMN"

Tikalsky's story also plays into this time of year as well because he was a school bus driver for 30 years.